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1.8 


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ts 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


jfe 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


iV 


■-.-T^^BB^WMIW 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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n 


Transparence 

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Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


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10X  14X  18X  22X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


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24X 


26X 


30X 


28X 


32X 


B 

Stalls 
s  du 
lodifier 
r  une 
Image 


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The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — *-  (meaning  "CON- 
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whichever  applies. 

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beginning  In  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
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method: 


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gdndrosltd  de: 

Library  of  Congress 
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conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimde  sont  film6s  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  emprelnte 
d'Impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commengant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  emprelnte 
d'Impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
emprelnte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernldre  Image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE  ".  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Stre 
fllm6s  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Stre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  clichd.  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angle  supdrleur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bas.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'Images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
lllustrent  la  mdthode. 


trrata 
to 


pelure, 
nd 


□ 


32X 


1 

2 

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3 

• 


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CAPTAIN  BRANT  AND  THE  OLD  KING. 


THE  TRAGEDY  OF  WYOMING. 


A    PAPER    READ    BEFORE 


THE  BUFFALO  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


APRIL  1,  1889. 


BY 


WM.  CLEMENT  BRYANT. 


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CAPTAIN  BRANT  AND  THE  OLD  KING. 


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The  Tragedy  of  Wyoming. 


A  PAPER  READ  BEFORE 


THE  BUFFALO  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


APRIL  1,  1889, 


BY 


WM.    OLEMKNX    BRYANX. 


BUFFALO: 

J.    W.  CLEMENT,  PRINTER,    201   MAIN  ST. 
1889. 


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Captain  Brant  and  The  Old  Kin.Li;. 


THE  TRAGEDY  OF  WYOMING. 


Tlie  fall  of  Oucbec  in  1759  ended  the  lonj^  and  bloody 
contest  between  France  and  Great  IJritain  for  ihe  mastery  of 
a  continent.  A  moment's  reflection  will  suffice  to  remind  us 
of  the  momentous  issues  involved  in  this  struggle  between  the 
two  competing  civilizations.  An  indigenous  and  barliaric 
people,  known  as  the  Iroquois.,  or  Five  Nations,  the  bulk  of 
whom  dwelt  in  what  is  now  known  as  Central  and  Western  New 
York,  was  an  important  if  not  controlling  factor  in  this  event- 
ful consummation.  In  the  war  afterwards  waged  by  the 
American  colonies  for  independence,  though  sadly  diminished, 
they  were  sufificiently  numerous  to  form  an  appreciable  ele- 
ment of  the  forces  which  Britain  hurled  against  her  rebellious 
offspring.  Wasted  by  wars,  and  overwhelmed  by  the  tidal 
wave  of  European  emigration  they  have,  within  less  than  a 
century,  peacefully  surrendered  an  empire  to  the  intruding 
race,  and  have  disappeared  from  history  as  they  soon  will 
from  the  gaze  of  men. 

The  recorded  opinions  regarding  this  historic  race  are 
mostly  idealistic  and  irreconcilable.  "Romans  of  the  W^est" 
is  the  eulogistic  title  bestowed  by  their  earliest  observers  on 
this  warlike  people  before  they  had  become  enervated  and 
corrupted  by  contact  with  European  civilization  ;  the  "Indians 
of  Indians"  they  are  termed  in  the  glowing  pages  of  Parkman; 
kindly  conservators  of  peace  and  the  domestic  affections,  is 
their  surprising  characterization  bv  Horatio  Hale  ;  a  "gifted 
and  progressive  race"  they  were  declared  to  be  by  Morgan. 
On  the  other  hand,  they  are  portrayed  by  writers,  possessing 
equal  opportunities  of  observation,  as  monsters  of  cruelty, 
devoid  of  all  the  nobler  attributes  of  humanity. 


I 

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4         ■         i  Ciifytdin  /haul  and  the  Old  k'iii_i>. 

Models  for  :i  sculptured  Apollo,  the  perfection  of  the 
iuiinan  fonn,accom|);mied  by  a  princely  mien,  and  an  unstudied 
^race  of  nioven)eiit  may  have  frecpiently  been  seen  ainonjjf  the 
lithe  and  siipjjle  braves  <;rouped  around  j^allant  King  Mcn- 
drick,  and  the  sifjht  of  whom  kindled  the  iniajj^ination  of  Sir 
Joshua  Reynolds  ;  but  the  nature  of  these  picturesque  youth 
rarely  revealed  that  union  of  gentleness,  love  and  valor  which 
are  the  essential  ingredients  of  chivalry.  Heroes  they  were 
according  to  their  own  rude  standard  suggested  by  the  un- 
tamed animals  which  formed  the  emblazonry  of  their  shields; 
exceptions,  however,  were  not  wanting,  as  in  the  case  of 
*Hiawatha,  of  a  lofty  magnanimity  and  an  all-embracing 
benevolence. 

Cruel,  ruthless  and  vengeful  as  we  must  admit  they  were, 
when  war  inHamed  their  ])assions,  we  cannot  deny  the  Iro- 
quois warriors  possession  of  such  attributes  as  loyally,  chas- 
tity, valor,  gratitude,  hosi)itality,  acumen,  an  inspirmg 
eloquence  and  an  indomitable  spirit  of  independence.  They 
jealously  emphasized  the  distinction  between  allies  and  vassals 
in  their  relations  to  the  l)yo-hence-caw,t  or  People-of-the 
Morning,  throughout  the  period  of  a  long  and  faithful  service 
in  which  their  blood  was  shed  like  water. 

There  have  arisen  among  this  people,  within  the  historic 
])eriod,  many  remarkable  characters;  perhaps  none  more  so 
than  the  personage  i  am  about  to  introduce  to  your  notice. 


Early  in  the  18th  century,  and  before  the  hearts  of  the 
American  colonists  were  thrilled  by  the  first  monitory  rumble 
of  that  great  upheaval,  which  we  denominate  the  American 
revolution,  there  lay  in  the  fruitful  and  romantic  region 
bordering  the  foot  of  Lake  Seneca,  and  within  sight  of  its 
sparkling,  unsullied  waters,  the  most  considerable  village  of 
the  Senecas.      1  his   village  was  known  to  the  whites  as  Old 


*  Hiawatha  was  tin-  fDiiiuler  of  the  League  of  the  Irotiiiois— a  verital)li'." law- 
giver of  the  sloiic  age,"  and  not  a  mythological  creation  ;  aithouglii^JwrSnOTi  has 
invested  him  with  supernatural  altrihutcs.  Hy  birth  he  was  an  OirurMaga,  .and  by 
adoption  a  Mohawk.  In  the  Mohawk  dialect  the  n.ame  is  pronounced  A-yohn-waht-ha; 
in  the  Onond.aga,  Ilay-en-wat-ha,  and  in  the  Seneca,  Hay-ya-wan-tah. 

f  'I'he  Seneca  name  for  the  English. 


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Till     'I'yoiiidy  of    Wyoniiiia.  "J 

Castle  or  Kaiiiuli'saj^a.  It  was  sunoimdcd  by  a  fimbtTcd  pali- 
sade and  eartlicn  works,  constructed  under  the  supervision 
of  that  astute  and  vi^^ilaiit  servant  of  the  crown,  Sir  Wilhani 
jolnison.  Outlyinj^  this  forest  fastness  were  thriving; 
orcliards  of  apples  and  peach,  and  broad  fields  of  golden  maize. 
Kanadesaf^a  was  peoj^led,  principally,  by  a  clan  of  Senecas 
whose  totem  was  the  turtle,  a  symbol,  in  the  simple  heraldry 
of  the  Irocpiois,  of  ancient  and  illustrious  oriijin.  The  prin- 

cipal and  hereditary  chieftainw  ho  swayed  this  rude  commun- 
ity, and  whose  influence  was,  in  truth,  potential  in  the  coun- 
cils of  the  great  confederacy,  was  known  to  his  peojde  as 
Gui-en-gwa-toh,  and  in  the  dialect  of  the  people  who  lived 
nearer  the  sea,  Sayenipierairhta,  or  Sakayengwaraton,  which 
signified  the  "  Disappearing  Smoke  or  Mist."*  It  was  this 
chieftain's  prerogative  to  kindle  and  to  extinguish  the  council 
tire  of  his  nation,  and  this  idea  was  imbedded  in  the  rocky 
syllables  of  his  Indian  name.  Among  the  Ii!nglish  he  was 
called  indifferently.  Old  King,  King  of  Kanadesaga,  the  King 
of  the  Senecas  and  OldSmoke;  again  allusion  being  made  to 
his  official  prerogative.  The  early  pioneers  and  ex])lorers 
knew  little  and  cared  less  about  the  unwritten  constitutions  of 
their  barbaric  neighbors.  When,  in  the  course  of  their  deal- 
ings with  the  natives,  they  met  a  sachem,  who  was  the 
spokesman  and  ajiparently  the  venerated  head  and  leader  of 
his  people,  they  bestowed  ujion  him  a  royal  title,  as  in  the  in- 
stances of  King  Powhattan,  King  Philip,  King  Ilendrickand 
others.  In  the  same  spirit  of  extravagant  idealization  when 
they  observed  an  Indian  town  fortified  by  encircling  palisades 
and  defensive  moats,  they  dignified  it  with  the  title  of  castle, 
as  for  example  Oneida  Castle,  Onondaga  Castle,  upper  and 
lower  Mohawk  Castles,  the  Seneca  or  Old  Castle,  etc.  The 
title  of  King  was  not  applicable  to  any  Iroquois  ruler  or  offi- 
cial. The  Iro(pu)is  recognized  no  Kingship  save  that  which 
naturally  inheres  in  the  born  leaders  of  men,^ — men  whose  su- 
perior understanding,  imperious  will  and  meritorious  achieve- 
ments inexorably  commanded  popular  homage  and  obedience. 
The  government  of  the  confedei-ate  Irocjuois  was  strangely 
composite, — an  oligarchy  wedded  to  a  pure  democracy.     The 


feilv 


♦Literally,  ^The-Smoke-has-Disappe  tired. 


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'i  Captain   Unuil  omf  llir  O/d  h'iin;. 

Old  Kinj;,  like  Kinj,'  llciulrick,  (who,  it  is  worthy  of  remark, 
bore  amotif;  Ihe  Mohawks  the  same  title  of  8ayen(|iierai,fhta), 
—  was  endowed  with  the  innate,  imperial  attributes  to  whieh  I 
iiave  alluded.  The  servants  of  the  Mritish  crown  in  North 
America  apparently  encourajLjed  this  assumption  of  royalty  on 
the  part  of  the  Old  Kin^.  His  family  had  for  j^a-nerations, 
and  while  the  majority  <>f  his  nation  were  inclined  to  yield  to 
the  blandishments  of  the  rival  French  monarchv,  remamed 
hrm  in  attachment  to  the  Uritish  sovereif^n.  In  recognition 
of  their  loyal  faith  the  good  Oueen  Anne  bestowed  upon  the 
8ayen(|uera,i^hta  of  her  reijjn,  an  ancestor  of  Old  Kin«::.  a 
coronet,  the  only  instance,  it  is  believed,  in  the  history  of  the 
aborigines  of  Anierici.  Kings  have  been  crowned  and  dynas- 
ties established  with  less  color  of  right  than  that  possessed  by 
King  Sayen(|ueraghta.  The  incident  gathers  signihcance 
when  we  recall  the  royal  jealousy  evoked  by  the  marriage  of 
Rolf,  an  English  subject,  vith  the  Princess  Pocahontas  in  tlie 
days  of  King  James  the  First. 

The  red  men  had  no  biographers  or  annalists,  and  the 
materials  for  a  biography  of  the  Old  King  arc  extremely 
scanty.  The  white  man's  records,  however,  afford  us  occasional 
glimpses  of  the  plumed  warrior  in  his  varied  career, — now  the 
impassioned  orator  haranguing  a  dignified  group  of  blanketed 
aachems  ;  now  with  grim  visage  dealing  death  blows  in  the 
thick  of  battle;  now  in  friendl\  conference  with  men  of  rank  in 
military  and  civil  life;  anon,  stooping  to  succor  distressed 
captives  like  the  Gilbert  family,  or  welcoming  as  a  son  to  his 
cabin  the  weary  and  famished  missionary,  Kirkland,  and  then 
vanishing  mysteriously  from  view  as  if  to  justify  his  (juaint 
appellation,  The-disappearing-mist. 

Bancroft,  speaking  of  the  Senecas  at  Wyoming,  says : 
"Their  King,  Sayenqueraghta,  was  both  in  war  and  in  council 
the  foremost  man  in  all  the  "six  nations."* 

Col,  Stone  remarks,  "  Old  Smoke  was  the  most  powerful, 
as  he  was  deemed  the  wisest  sachem  of  his  time.  He  was  the 
principal  sachem,  or  civil  chief  of  the  nation,  and  his  word 
was  law.    When  he  thought  proper  to  convene  a  council  it  w?a 


Bancroft's  History  U.  S.  Vol.  V,  p.  279. 


::wmiimsmtfmKi«tfsetmm  iwmTBmmiiammtmiixiatmmm'^xtiMeKaiism 


mMmmmtmmtmm 


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T/tr   '/'rimti/r  of   Wyoniiiifr,  f 

only  for  tin;  purpose  ol  aMioiiiKiiiir  |,is  iiilcntions,  and  none 
said  nay  to  his  IjcI.csIs.  His  inlallii)iiify  was  never  o.ies- 
tioned."* 

At  an  interview  held  by  the  I  Ion.  O.  1 1.  Marshall  with 
the  venerable  chief  Seneca  White  at  his  house  on  the  Catta- 
rau^ais  Reservation,  in  18f!4,  he  informed  Mr.  Marshall  that  Old 
Smoke  was  the  most  influential  man  amoiijr  the  Senecas  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  and  that  licorposcdtlw  In,iians  taking  any  part 
in  the  7var.  Accordin.i,^  to  the  Senecas  he  was  a  lar<re,  |)()rtlv 
man  of  commandinjf  presence.  That  he  was  a  man  of  jrrcat 
prominence  at  Kanadesa<ra  as  early  as  17(15,  is  evidenced  from 
his  position  in  the  councils  then  held.  I  lis  closin<j  speech  in 
the  council  at  that  time,  in  delence  of  Rev.  Samuel  Kirkland, 
whose  life  was  in  imminent  danj^er  in  conseciuencc  of  the 
death  of  his  host,  was  full  of  convincinjr  ar^nnnent  and  was  a 
master-piece  of  eloquence  that  bore  down  all  opposition  and 
elicited  a  ^reneral  shout  of  applause  "which  made  the  council 
house  rinj^."  \ 

But  it  is  in  connection  with  the  trajj^edy  of  VV^yomin^r  that 
r  wish  to  call  your  attention  to  the  Old  Kin<(  to-ni<,dit;  and 
here  let  me  refresh  your  memories  by  giving  a  condensed  and 
brief  recital  of  the  salient  incidents  of  the  affair  as  they  have 
been  accepted  by  the  historian. 


The  valley  of  the  Wyoming  in  the  early  summer  of  1778, 
presented  a  scene  of  peaceful  and  sylvan  beauty.  Slope  and 
lowland,  on  either  side  of  the  Susquehanna,  were  dotted  with 
clearings  and  nestling  cabins,  the  abode  of  contented  toil,  fru- 
gality and  virtue.  No  notes  of  strife  or  discord  arose  from 
the  bosom  of  the  happy  valley.  Only  the  plaint  of  some  wild 
bird;  the  plowboy's  careless  whistle;  the  merry  laugh  and 
shouts  of  children  at  play;  the  ring  of  the  woodman's  axe:  the 
muffled  beating  of  some  thresher's  flail,  and  the  rhythmic 
plash  and  murmur  of  the  winding  river,  broke  the  Sabbath 
hush  of  the  embowered  settlement. 

*Life  ami  Times  of  Red  Jacket  by  William  I  .  .Slone. 

f  Lothiop's  Life  of  Kirklaml,  Chai).  3,  Spark's  Am.  Uiography,  \  ol.  XXV. 


!"«*■ 


iweiB»»-''"(^ 


^sgimmmmsamim;:'^\>:Mi*fm 


Ik 


f 

i, 


8  Captain  Brant  and  the  Old  Khiff. 

Wyoming  would  have  been  the  seat  of  unalloyed  happi- 
ness but  for  two  causes.  The  youth  and  chivalry  of  the 
pioneers  had,  in  response  to  the  trumpet-call  of  duty,  left 
their  homes  and  families  to  the  care  of  aged  sires  and  strip- 
lings, and  were  fighting  the  battles  of  freedom  on  far  away 
fields;  and,  besides,  there  was  ever  an  undefinable,  shivering 
fear  lest  at  any  moment,  out  of  the  dark,  mysterious  forest, 
which  begirt  the  settlement,  there  might  emerge  a  murder- 
ous horde  of  their  implacable  enemies,  tory  and  savage. 

This  apprehension  was  too  soon  justified  when,  on  the 
second  day  of  July  intelligence  eame  that  a  body  of  Tory 
Rangers,  a  detachment  of  Sir  John  Johnson's  Royal  Greens 
and  a  large  body  of  Indians,  all  under  the  command  of  the 
redoubtable  Col.  John  Butler,  had  taken  possession  of  Fort 
Wintermoot,  a  tory  stronghold  situated  a  few  miles  distant. 
No  sooner  was  the  presence  of  the  enemy  discovered  than  the 
scattered  male  inhabitants,  who  remained  at  their  homes,  hur- 
riedly assembled  to  the  number  of  four  hundred,  at  a  palisaded 
work  known  as  Old  Fort  Forty.  Col.  Zebulon  Butler,  a  sol- 
dier of  some  experience  in  the  French  and  Indian  war,  as- 
sumed command  of  the  little  band  of  patriots.  A  council  of 
war  was  held  early  on  the  3d  of  July  and  the  desperate  alter- 
native of  anticipating  the  ciemy's  attack  by  surprise  was 
adopted.  The  plan  might  have  succeeded  but  for  an  untoward 
accident  which  apprised  the  enemy  of  his  danger.  As  it 
happened  the  Americans  found  their  foe  in  line  of  battle  for 
their  reception.  Col.  Z.  Butler  commanded  the  right  of  the 
Americans,  the  left  was  commanded  by  Col.  Dennison,  assisted 
by  Col.  Dorrance.  Opposed  to  the  right  of  the  Americans  and 
also  resting  on  the  bank  of  the  river  was  Col.  John  Butler 
with  his  rangers ;  the  right  of  the  enemy,  resting  upon  or 
rather  extending  into  a  marsh,  was  composed  of  Indians  and 
tories  led  by  Sayenqueraghta.  The  field  of  battle  was  a  par- 
tially cleared  plain. 

The  action  began  soon  after  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
and  was  for  a  time  kept  up  on  both  sides  with  great  spirit. 
The  right  of  the  Americans  advanced  bravely  as  they  fired,  and 
the  best  troops  of  the  enemy  were  compelled  to  fall  back.  At 
this  juncture  Sayenqueraghta  with  a  swarm  of  screeching 
warriors  unperceived  outflanked  Col.  Dennison  and  suddenly 


•-rx 


:a»?<i?S!«aJSSr?«3i?W!*W 


of  unalloyed  happi- 
md  chivalry  of  the 
let-call  of  duty,  left 
aged  sires  and  strip- 
ecdom  on  far  away 
idefinable,  shivering 
k,  mysterious  forest, 
it  emerge  a  murder- 
y  and  savage, 
itified  when,  on  the 
hat  a  body  of  Tory 
son's  Royal  Greens 
:he  command  of  the 
1  possession  of  Fort 
I  few   miles  distant. 

discovered  than  the 
at  their  homes,  hur- 
ndred,  at  a  palisaded 
sbulon  Butler,  a  sol- 

and  Indian  war,  as- 
riots.  A  council  of 
1  the  desperate  alter- 
ck   by  surprise  was 

but  for  an  untoward 
his  danger.  As  it 
in  line  of  battle  for 
ided  the  right  of  the 
3l.  Dennison,  assisted 
>f  the  Americans  and 
as  Col.  John  Butler 
;my,  resting  upon  or 
osed  of   Indians  and 

of  battle  was  a  par- 

ock  in  the  afternoon, 
;s  with  great  spirit, 
ely  as  they  fired,  and 
lied  to  fall  back.  At 
swarm  of  screeching 
unison  and  suddenly 


The   Tragedy  of  Wyoming-.  9 

like  a  dark  cloud  fell  upon  his  rear.  Sorely  harassed  Col.  D. 
ordered  his  command  to  fall  back  which  was  mistaken  by  the 
men  for  an  order  to  retreat.  "  This  misconception  was  fatal. 
A  panic  ensued  and  the  Americans  Hed  towards  Fort  Forty 
pursued  by  the  Indians,  who  with  their  tomahawks  and  spears 
wrought  terrific  slaughter  and  committed  deeds  of  wanton 
and  revolting  cruelty.  The  few  survivors  who  escaped  the 
carnage  and  succeeded  in  reaching  the  fort  were  soon  besieged 
by  throngs  of  excited  Indians  and  tories.  Possessing  no 
adequate  means  of  defence,  and  having  no  expectation  or  hope 
of  succor  the  patriots  yielded  to  the  entreaties  of  the  women 
and  children  and  capitulated,  the  terms  of  surrender  being 
that  the  besieged  should  no  longer  fight  against  the  crown 
and  should  yield  possession  of  all  provincial  stores  to  the  con- 
querors, who  in  turn  promised  them  immunity  from  the  scalp- 
ing knife  and  tomahawk,  and  undisturbed  possession  of  their 
homes  and  clearings.  The  Indians,  however,  could  not  be 
restrained.  No  lives  were  taken  after  the  surrender,  but  the 
destruction  of  houses  and  property  was  pursued  with  mer- 
ciless persistency  until  the  vale  became  a  scene  of  hideous, 
smouldering  desolation.  Many  of  the  terror-stricken  inhab- 
itants sought  safety  in  flight,  and  many  of  them  fell  by  the 
way,  perishing  from  sickness  and  hunger.f 


Thus  far  I  have  attempted  to  give  a  summary  of  this 
tragic  event,  as  the  sober  muse  of  history  has  recorded  it,  and 
which  is  popularly  known  as  the  Massacre  of  Wyoming.  The 
enchanting  theatre  of  this  exciting  drama,— the  picturesfjue 
actors,  patriot,  tory,  royal  green  antl  painted  savage,  and  the 
terrible   scenes   of   suffering,    upon    which    the  curtain    falls. 


+  "More  than  two-thirds  of  tlieir  number  [the  patriotic  forces]  were  mass.icred  l)y 
the  In<lians  and  Tories  with  every  circumstance  of  s.ivage  cruelty,  not  even  the  prison- 
ers l)eing  spared.  Some  of  the  latter  were  put  to  death  on  th^  evening  ol  the  battle, 
Oueen  Esther,  a  half-breed  Indian  woman,  to  avenge  the  death  of  her  son,  toniahawke<l 
fourteen  with  her  own  hands  near  a  rock  which  still  bears  her  name."--Appleton's 
Am.  Cyclopaedia.  Title,  IFyomin,!^.  Col.  lUitler's  official  report  agrees  with  Col. 
Glaus'  statement  that  only  two  white  men  in  his  conunand  were  killed  and  that  the 
casu.alties  included  about  a  dozen  Indians  >-'oiin(lcd.  The  reader  cannot  help  contrast- 
ing this  result  with  that  of  Oriskany  where  the  desperate  valor  of  the  colonists  shone 
conspicuously. 


:  -T./>«e? -;  ■rK*f^'^';^.^W*?'^P^' '' 


rw\-^- 


I 


to  Captain  Brant  and  the  Old  King. 

invoked  the  scarcely  less  veracious  muse  of  poesy  and  inspired 
Campbell's  justly  admired  epic,  "Gertrude  of  Wyoming." 

Who  led  the  Indians  at  Wyoming-?  is  a  minor  vexaia 
qa^stio  of  history.  The  earlier  writers  assigned  the  doubtful 
honor  to  Joseph  Brant— Thayendancgea.  On  their  authority 
the  poet  Campbell  makes  the  "Monster  Brant"  the  author  of 
the  woes  and  horrors  which  befell  the  simple-minded  dwellers 
in  the  valley.  Col.  Stone,  the  biographer  of/the  great 
Mohawk,  zealously  endeavored  to  exculpate  l»»^hero  by 
showing  that  Brant  was  not  even  present  when  the^  tragedy 
occurred,  and  that  the  responsibility  rested  on  the  shoulders 
of  the  Old  King. 

Apparently  the  matter  was  set  at  rest  when  in  reply  to  an 
eminent  skeptic  in  the  Democratic  Review,  Caleb  Cushing, 
Stone  was  at  the  pains  of  gathering  and  publishing  fresh  and 
convincing  testimony.  Some  doubting  Thomas,  however,  in 
the  historical  field,  periodically  asserts  that  Brant  zvas  the 
master  spirit  among  the  fell  agencies  of  mischief  at  Wyoming. 
Unfortunately  for  Brant  his  reputation  for  humanity  could 
better  sustain  the  burden  of  Wyoming,  which  he  disclaimed, 
than  the  infamy  of  Cherry  V\illey  which  neither  he  nor  his 
biographer  sought  to  evade. 

If  Brant  was  not  the  leader,  was  Col.  Stone  correct  in 
assigning  that  post  to  the  King  of  the  Senecas  ?  This  question 
was  discussed  more  than  twenty  years  ago  in  the  club  meet- 
ings of  this  society.  Ketchum  in  his  "  History  of  Buffalo  and 
the  Senecas  "  asserted  with  confidence  that  the  leader  could 
not  have  been  the  Old  King.  In  this  opinion  that  accom- 
plished and  conscientious  investigator,  Orsamus  H.  Marshall, 
was  inclined  to  concur.  Both  were  deceived,  as  was  the 
writer,  by  certain  confusing  statements  in  contemporary  nar- 
ratives, or  documents,  which  assigned  to  Old  King  a  weight 
of  years  and  infirmities  that  would  naturally  disqualify  him 
for  the  leadership  in  so  arduous  a  campaign.  The  paper 
which  I  shall  proceed  to  read  is  apparently  decisive  of  that 
question.  How  this  document  came  to  light,  after  slumber- 
ing in  an  ancient  chest  for  nearl}'  a  century,  the  following  let- 
ter from  the  late  Senator  Plumb  will  explain  : 


v:miSfiat!smmmssttaimismsuis0mtim 


The  Tra^tdy  of  Wyoming. 


II 


"  Dear  Mr.  IJryant  : 


NiAciARA,  Frov.  Ontario,  ( 
Nov.  5,  1880.         f 


"  Mr.  Conover,  whom  I  met  at  nrantford,  has  sent  me 
some  of  his  Indian  pamphlets,  amoiio^  them  a  paper  on  the 
King  of  the  Senecas,*  whom  he  names  Sayenqueraghta.     *     * 

Mr.  Conover  gives  the  name  of  Captain  I'oliard,  an  Indian, 
who  told  Col.  Stone  and  Mr.  Orlando  Allen  that  he  was  at 
Wyoming  and  tliat  the  King  was  the  leader  of  the  Indians 
on  that  occasion,  which  statement  Mr.  C,  was  inclined  to 
question. 

You  are  (juoted  by  Mr.  Conover  as  stating  that  'It  is 
claimed  that  young  King  was  then  too  young  to  be  a  leader 
of  a  war  party.  I  fear  it  will  never  be  known  who  that  leader 
was.' 

Now  I  think  I  can  help  you  solve  the  doubt,  and  can 
show  very  conclusively,  that  the  Old  King  was  not  only  the 
leader,  but  the  originator  of  the  Wyoming  E.xpedition,  and 
also  a  most  active  and  faithful  coadjutor  of  Brant  as  an  ally 
of  the  crown. 

"A  family  fourth  in  descent  from  Sir  William  Johnson,  the 
great-grandchildren  of  Col.  Daniel  Claus,  Deputy  Supt.  of 
Indian  affairs,  who  married  a  daughter  of  Sir  William,  by  his 
wife  Catherine  Weisenberg,  resides  here. 

Mr.  William  Kerby  of  this  place,  the  accomplished  author 
of  the  Chien  d'Or,  and  of  much  other  Canadi  ^  literature  of  the 
highest  order,  informed  me  that  he  had  discovered  in  the  pos- 
session of  this  family  a  valuable  collection  of  revolutionary 
documents:  minutes  of  Indian  councils,  autograph  letters, and 
many  interesting  memoranda  by  Col.  Daniel  Claus.  Among 
the  papers  were  all  those  that  were  found  in  the  tent  of  Gen. 
St.  Clair  after  his  defeat,  apparently  in  the  original  hasty 
wrappage,  and  seeming  never  to  have  been  opened  or  ex- 
amined ! 


1^ 


aiw.^    ▼  i»  •  * 


*  "  SAYENQUKRAtmiA,  KiNc.  (iK  iliK  Sknkc As"  l)y  CJeo.  S.  Conover,  W.iteiloo, 
N.  Y.,  1885.  In  this  pamphlet  the  .author,  a.  very  able  and  conscientious  investigator, 
has  collated  all  the  printed  accounts  of  and  references  to  the  OM  King  which  he  could 
discover. 


(« 


i 


r 


13 


Cafytahi  />rtvit  and  the  Old  h'itig. 


There  were  voluminous  writinjifs  of  Col.  Daniel  Clans, 
and  a  most  valuable  essay  by  his  brother-in-law,  Col.  Guy 
Johnson,  on  the  Six  Nation  Indians,  written  at  the  recjucst  and 
for  the  use  of  Robertson,  the  Historian  of  America,  but  not 
inserted  in  his  unfinished  work.  The  papers,  numbering 
nearly  2,000,  were  carefully  examined  and  roughly  catalogued 
by  Mr.  Kerby  and  myself,  and  at  my  instance  were  purchased 
by  the  Dominion  Government  and  placed  in  the  public 
archives.  One  of  the  MSS.,  in  the  handwriting  of  Col.  Daniel 
Claus,  is  headed  'Anecdotes  of  Capt.  Joseph  Brant,  Niagara, 
Sept.  1778.'  The  following  extracts  may  serve  to  elucidate 
the  doubt  as  to  the  leadership  of  the  Wyoming  Expedition.  It 
could  not  have  been  written  with  any  other  idea,  or  object, 
than  that  of  stating  facts  then  perfectly  zvell  known  to  hundreds 
of  people  tvho  xvould  be  most  likely  to  read  the  statements  of  Col. 
Claus  if  published. 

That  they  were  not  published  was  doubtless  owing  to 
the  lack  of  opportunity,  in  part,  and  perhaps  in  a  greater 
degree,  to  severe  criticism,  which  they  contained,  upon  the 
course  of  Col.  Butler  in  failmg  to  co-operate  cordially  or 
promptly  with  Brant.  The  first  extract  refers  to  the  battle  of 
Oriskany,  at  which  Col.  Claus  was  present,  and  took  a 
prominent  and  active  part.  ****** 
(Then  follow  certain  extracts  from  the  MS.,  which  I  am  about 
to  read.)     Mr.  Plumb  concludes  : 

"It  ma)'  be  that  you  will  think  the  extracts  of  sufficient 
value  to  communicate  them  to  your  society,  and  I  shall  be 
very  glad  to  have  you  do  so.  I  shall  write  to  Mr.  Conover 
that  I  have  sent  them  to  you. 

With  kind  regards,  believe  me,  yours  very  faithfully, 

J.  B.  PLUMB.''' 


The  writer  sent  to  Ottawa  and  procured  a  copy  ol  Col. 
Claus'  paper  entitled  "Anecdotes  of  Captain  Joseph  Brant," 
together  with  the  other  MSS.  mentioned  by  Mr.  Plumb.  It 
is  an  authentic  document  written  by  a  trusted  servant  of  the 
crown,  possessing  every  facility  for  testing  the  truth  of  what 
he  has  deliberately  recorded,  and  his  main  statements  of  fact 
are  credible,  notwithstanding  a  certain  animus  of  personal 
hostility  which  the  author  is  at  no  pains  to  conceal. 


'^^Mm 


The   Trui^tdy  of  Wyoming,.  13 

"CANADIAN  ARCHIVES. 

M.  ().  2. 
p.  46. 

I'rom  Niatjara,  a  Kinj^'s  I'ort  on  the  Frontier  of  the 
I'rovince  of  New  York,  we  received  tlie  following  : 

Joseph  Brant,  alias  Thayendanegea,  now  about  o<)  years 
old  was  born  in  the  upper  Mohawk  Town  of  Canojoharee. 
Caj)t.  Brant,  when  a  young  lad,  showed  an  extraordinary 
capacity  and  promptness  in  accjuiring  the  reading  and  writing 
of  his  own  language,  under  an  Indian  school  master  ap- 
pointed by  the  Honorable  Society  at  his  native  place.  The 
late  Sir  Wni.  Johns<jn  discovering  that  ge.Mus  sent  him  to  a 
good  English  school  where  he  soon  made  such  proficiency  as 
to  be  able  not  onl}'  tf)  read  and  write  English  surprisingly 
well  but  soon  undertook  to  translate  English  into  the  Iroquois 
or  Mohawk  Language  and  so  vice  versa  and  that  so  well  that 
the  late  Sir  Wm.  Johnson  found  him  very  serviceable  in  trans- 
lating Indian  Speeches  of  moment  to  be  made  to  the  6  Nations 
in  Council  and  translate  them  in  writing  into  the  Iro(|uois  Lan- 
guage in  order  to  convey  to  the  Indians  the  full  meaning  and 
substance  of  such  Speeches  wch  Indian  interpreters  who  in 
general  are  a  dull  illiterate  kind  of  white  people  never  were 
capable  of  doing,  he  became  therefore  a  great  ac(|uisition  to  the 
Superintendent  of  the  Inniuois  and  G  Nations  and  was  em- 
ployed by  them  accordingly  and  approved  iiimself  a  veiy  use- 
ful and  true  person  to  government  discovering  at  the  same 
time  a  penetrating  sound  and  good  natural  understanding 
wch  he  manifested  in  translating  great  part  of  the  N.  Testa- 
ment under  the  inspection  of  Mr.  Stuart,  the  missionary 
who  explained  difficult  passages  to  him,  as  well  some  sermons 
of  diffi't  subjects.  At  the  Commencement  of  the  unhappy 
Disputes  between  Great  Britain  and  her  Colonies  he  made 
shrewd  and  strict  Enquirys  into  Reason  of  the  Complaints  of 
the  Americans  among  whom  he  chiefly  resided  and  from 
whom  he  heard  nothing  but  forging  of  chains  and  intended 
Tyranny  ag'st  them.  At  the  same  time  seeing  no  .\pparent 
Alteration  or  putting  such  Complaints  of  Tyramiy  into  Execu- 
tion the  Refutation  of  it  agitated  his  mind  so  far  as  to  deter- 
mine on  a  voyage  to  Great  Britain  in  order  to   try    what  he 


^-     '  #  \  ■^ 


■I 


-J 


14  Captain  Brant  and  the  Old  King. 

could  Hnd  out  tlierc  of  the  matter  plainly  foreseeing  how 
much  the  Indians  in  j^eneral  were  concerned  in  such  a  Quarrel, 
well  knowing  how  ignorant  they  were  as  to  the  Disputes  in 
Question.  Accordingly  in  the  Autumn  1775  after  faithfully 
serving  that  campaign  and  accjuainting  the  Indians  with  the 
Reason  of  his  Intended  Journey  he  embarked  at  Quebec  with 
the  gentleman  that  was  to  be  appointed  at  home  in  the  room  of 
Sr.  VVm.  Johnson.  After  his  arrival  he  made  himself  ac(iuainted 
with  Gentlemen  on  both  sides  of  the  Question,  soon  finding 
out  there  was  an  op'pon  in  favour  of  the  Americans  in  England  ; 
and  his  penetrating  genius  soon  saw  into  the  Motives  of  that 
Opposition  and  plainly  discovering  that  there  was  no  Reason  of 
of  such  complaints  he  was  told  of  in  America  and  all  they  and 
the  Americans  aimed  at  was  to  be  sole  Masters  of  the  Conti- 
nent of  America,  an  Event  so  destructive  to  the  Liberty  of  the 
Indus  and  their  Country,  and  being  convinced  of  the  Anxiety 
the  Americans  for  some  years  showed  to  dispossess  the 
Indns  of  their  Country  had  not  the  Crown  interfered.  During 
his  stay  in  London  he  was  by  order  of  Government 
shown  all  the  remarkable  Plac  s  and  Curiosities  about 
London  and  vic'nity,  with  which  ne  was  very  much  pleased 
in  particular  the  Tower.  Several  Gentlemen  of  Distinction 
and  Fortune  took  notice  of  him  and  used  him  very  kindly 
and  although  some  of  them  were  friends  of  the  Amer- 
icans and  argued  in  their  favour  he  listened  to  their  Argu- 
ments with  Calmness  and  answered  with  Discretion.  In  the 
beginning  of  June  1776  he  embarked  at  Falmouth  on  board 
the  Harriot  packet  in  Company  with  the  Superintendt — of 
the  6  Nations  and  sailed  for  N.  York,  where  it  was  ex- 
pected he  would  soon  be  able  to  get  to  Albany  and  from 
thence  among  his  countrymen  the  G  Nations.  The  packet  on 
acct  of  the  summer  season  standing  to  southward  fell  in  with 
a  rebel  privateer  of  superior  force  near  the  Carolinas  when 
soon  a  smart  engagement  ensued  and  ye  rebels  were  confident 
of  success.  Joseph  and  his  companion,  John  of  the  lower  Mo- 
hawk Town  who  attended  him,  having  brass  rifle  guns,  made 
them  a  present  from  my  Lord  Townsend,  were  so  dexterous 
and  good  marksmen  as  to  pick  off  those  on  board  the  rebel 
ship  whom  by  their  dress  they  took  to  be  officers  and  after  an 
engagement  of  two  glasses  the  privateer  thought  proper  to 


■^V^- 


T 


T 


The   TrafTcdy  of  Wyotniiiir.  ij 

sheer  off.  The  Harriot  havg  her  rigginj^  much  dainajj^etl  was 
disabled  from  chasing  her  and  soon  after  got  into  N.  York,  being 
the  latter  end  of  July,  and  a  little  before  Sr.  VVm.  I  lowe  begun 
his  oi)erations  upon  the  rebels  on  Long  Island  on  wch  occa- 
sion he  had  another  opportunity  of  shovvmg  his  bravery  and 
activity  wch  Sr.  VVm.  acknowledged  by  having  him  always 
abt  him,  he  was  also  particularly  esteemed  or  taken  notice  of 
by  the  Earl  of  I'ercy  for  it.  Finding  that  the  campaign 
operations  were  not  decisive  enough  to  take  Albany.  And 
Brant  determined  penetrating  the  rebel  country  and  woods  to 
get  among  his  Indn  friends  the  0  Nations,  Sr.  VVm.  Howe 
and  the  Superintendant  furnishing  [him]  with  orders  and  In- 
structions to  the  officers  of  Gov't  for  that  purpose  and  wch  he 
with  much  fatigue  and  danger  effected.  The  first  Ind'ns  he 
met  with  were  the  Colonies  of  the  (5  Nations  and  their  Depend- 
ants settled  upon  the  Susquehanna  River,  whom  he  soon  con- 
vinced with  what  he  had  heard  and  saw  in  England  and  the 
Arguments  he  made  use  of  how  much  their  own  Country  and 
Liberty  was  in  danger  from  the  Rebels,  that  they  all  unani- 
mously agreed  with  him  in  sentiment  and  determined  to  act 
agtst  the  Rebels  who  then  secretly  had  sent  Emissaries  from 
N.  England  among  them  to  gain  them  t)ver  to  their  interest 
but  they  were  soon  obliged  to  disappear  for  fear  of  being 
seized  upon  by  the  Indians.  These  proceedings  of  Mr.  Brant 
soon  taking  vent  among  the  Rebels  on  the  Mohawk  River 
they  began  to  collect  a  Body  of  men  to  oppose  him  and  he 
saw  himself  under  a  necessity  to  call  for  more  assistance 
among  the  6  Nations  and  procure  himself  and  party  ammuni- 
tion, wch  was  not  nearer  to  be  had  than  Niagara  ;  on  his  way 
thither  he  had  the  6  Nation  country  to  pass  thro'  where  in 
every  Town  he  was  well  received,  called  meetings  and  acquaint- 
ing them  with  his  Adventures  and  what  he  heard  and  saw  in 
the  King  of  England's  Residence,  wch  was  received  with 
much  greediness  and  approbation.  He  was  faithfully  promised 
to  be  supported  ag'st  the  Rebels  whenever  he  should  call 
upon  them;  he  then  proceeded  to  Niagara  and  on  his  arrival 
producing  his  Orders  and  Instructions  from  Sr.  VVm.  Howe 
and  Col.  Guy  Johnson,  the  Supt.  of  the  0  Nations. — But  here 
Jealousy  and  Envy  the  Monsters  of  all  Discord  and  Mischief 
showed  their  Heads,  and  the   person    who  was  left  there  in 


^IJSKK^-^fJvJ-'V.*.  .■J". 


li^j?.  i  ^'ilit  Lr'v'j^:^isvi^KW■ 


j6  Captain  Ilraul  and  ihc  Old  Khi^. 

1775  bv  theSupcrintciulant  to  assist  the  C'omiiuiiurf;  OlTiccr  at 
that  post  in  Indn  Matters  was  an  Officer  of  equal  Ivmploy  with 
Mr.  lirant  only  of  less  importance  as  to   Indn   Matters  iS:  act- 
ing in  a  more  servile  Line,  this  person  havinjx  with  flattery  iS; 
cunning  (being  bred  and  born  in   N.  ICngland)  insinuated  hini- 
•self  into  the  favour  of  Sr.  (iuy  C'arleton  iS:  procuring  himself 
thereon  to  the   otTice   upon   the    Strength    of    that   lavished 
immense  sums  without  doing   the  least  service  to  Ciovt  since 
the  beginning   of    the    Rebellion  but   allowed  the  Rebels  to 
establish  themselves  at  Fort  Stanwix  in  the  middle  of  the  T.  Na- 
tion Country.     This  person  then  imagining  to  please  Sir  Guy 
in  slighting  iS;  disregarding   Sr.    Wm.   Howe  .Sc  the  Superin- 
tcn't;  besides  api)rehensive  Mr.  Brant  should  do  anything  th:it 
would  expose  his  Inactivity  cSc  willing  iJackwardness  received 
him  very  cooly  and  indifferently    altho"    under  Superints  im- 
mediate employ    and  appointment   having   nothing   seperate 
from  Sr.  Guy  even  denyed  him  the  quantity   of   Ammunition 
he  demanded  for  opposing  the  Rebels   that  were  assembling 
again  and   he    was  obliged    to    purchase    what  he  could  get 
among  Traders  out  of  his  own  pocket  .S:  returned  very  much 
discouraged  from  Niagara  ;  on  his  arrieval  with  his  party  he 
distributed  what  little  Ammunition  he  got  wch  was  very  tn- 
Hing  and  soon  after  had    an    Acct.  that  a  Body  of  800  Rebels 
were  assembled  to  pay  him  a  visit  shortly.     Upon  wch  he  im- 
mediately sent  Runners  to  call  the  0  Nations  to  his  assistance 
but  [illegible]  they  were  influenced    from  Niagara  not  to  go. 
— Inds  being  so  ignorant   credulous  a  people  that  they  may 
soon  be  dissuaded  from  keeping  their  promises  with  a  plausi- 
ble story   I  illegible]  of  raising  their  Jealousy.     Accordingly 
not  a  man  came   to   his    assistance  and  soon  after  the  Rebels 
marched  upon  him  with  300  men  leaving  the  rest  as  Corps  de 
Reserve  at  Cherry  Valley  they  however   finding  Mr.  Brant's 
party  prepared  and  in  readiness  to  receive  them,  they  sent  a 
Messenger  to  Mr,  Brant  that  they  wanted  to  speak  with  them 
as  friends,  he  returned  them  his  answer  if  they  would  come 
unarmed  he  would  admit  them  having  at  the  time  not  200  men 
together  when  they  came  to  parley  and   the  Rebels  came  iS: 
entreated  them  to  stand   Neuter  in  the  Quarrel.     That  they 
would  [illegible]  their  assistance  &  it  would  reasonably  be  sup- 
posed the  King  of  Cireat  Britain  would  not  want  it,  wch  Mr. 


^i- 


4* 


The  Troi^idy  of  Wyoming.  17 

IJrant  flatly  refusing  telling  them  he  had  sutticicnt  reasons  to 
oppose  their  proceedings  on  his  own  acct.  upon  wch  one  of  the 
Rebel  Colonels  hinted  that  he  would  be  compelled  when  Mr. 
I.trant  gave  a  Sign  to  his  party  they  immetliately  put  themselves 
in  a  posture  of  Defense  tho'  with  very  little  Ammunition,  upon 
wch  the  Rebels  drew  in  their  horns  iS;  were  for  peace  sneak- 
ing ofT  with  themselves  &  if  the  Indns  had  been  well  supplied 
with  Ammunition  they  might  have  given  a  good  acct.  of  the 
whole  party  as  well  as  all  tho  Ir.lns  in  general  on  ye  conti- 
nent. 

Captain  Brant  soon  after  having  information  that  Brig'r 
St.  Legcr  was  on  his  march  upon  an  Kxi)tln  agst.,  Fort  Stan- 
wix  and  soon  expected  at  Oswego,  he  proceeded  with  his 
party  consisting  of  upwards  of  300  men  to  that  place  to  join 
him  where  on  his  arrival  he  found  Col.  Claus  sent  from  En- 
gland in  Spring  77  to  Superind  the  Indians  to  be  employed  in 
sd  Expedition,  this  Gentlemn  for  upwards  of  twenty  years 
acted  as  Assistant  to  the  late  Sr  VVm  Johnson  in  Indn  Matters 
of  which  he  had  the  care  of  ye  Canada  Indus  till  superseded 
in  '75  and  was  well  acquainted  wth  Mr.  Brants  Merit,  he  gave 
Mr.  Brant  and  party  all  the  Assistance  in  his  power  as  to 
equiping  them  properly  for  the  Exped  wch  done  he  |  Col. 
Claus]  declared  himself  a  Party  ready  for  Service  the 
Brigadier  arriving  2  days  after  and  was  for  pushing  on  as 
expeditiously  as  possible  and  none  of  the  Indians  that  Col. 
Butler  was  to  assemble  having  arrived  tho'  living  near  200 
miles  nearer  than  Mr.  Brants  party  and  Col.  Claus  finding  they 
were  chiefly  to  come  the  way  the  Expeditn  was  going  he  sent 
orders  to  the  Indn  Officers  to  halt  at  the  Three  Rivers  24 
miles  on  his  way  to  Fort  Stanwix.  Col  Butler  arriving  the 
day  after  at  Oswego  was  surprised  that  the  Indns  were  stopt 
from  coming  there  to  hold  a  Congress  and  receive,  their 
presents.  Col.  Claus  gave  him  to  understand  that  Indus  on  a 
march  upon  the  Enemy  could  or  did  not  expect  formal  meet- 
ings and  councilling  besides  it  would  be  attended  with  several 
days  Delay  and  therefore  ordered  Mr  Butler  to  proceed  with 
the  few  Indns  he  brought  from  Niagara  and  meet  the  Indns  at 
the  Three  Rivers  and  equip  them  and  proceed  to  Fort  Stanwix 
with  all  Expeditn  at  the  same  time  Col.  Claus  with  Mr  Brant 
and  party  proceeded  with  the  Brigr  leaving  Mr  Butler  at  the 


1 


^^"  <  •>- 


ig  Cnplaiii  Ihaut  ivid  tin  Old  Kinff. 

Three   Rivers  and   invested   I'ort  vStanwix   without  them.    3 
days  after  he  came  up  with  part  of  the  Indus,  when  Mr  Brant's 
sister  Hvinjj  in  the  Upper  Mohav.'k  Town  sent  an  I^xpress  to 
her  brother  with  lntelii<;ence  that  a  l)ody  of  about  000  Rebels 
were  to  be   within  12  miles  of   Fort  Stanwix   that  nifj;ht   to 
reinforce  the  (iarrison,  preparation  tlien  was  made  to  oppose 
them.     Sr.   John  Joluison  offered  his  services  to  command  a 
party  of  Light  Infantry  and  what  Indians  were  assembled  and 
ready  for  service  to  reconnoitre  and  ambushe  said  party  of 
Rebels.     Accordinj^ly  when  he  was  going  to  set  off  early  in 
ye  morning  ncme  but  Mr.  Brant's  party  were  ready  to  join. 
Col.  Butler  and  party  were  hesitating  and  deliberating  whether 
there  should  not  be  a  parley  demanded  of  the  Rebels  and  Let- 
ters wrote   to   their   Leaders  before   the  attack.     Mr  Brant 
observed  that  they  being  advancing  in  arms  it  was  too  late  to 
offer  any  terms  and  that  he  was  sure  they   would  reject  any 
proposals  of  peace  and  Sir  John  Johnson  pushing  off  Mr.  Brant 
lollowed  him,  the  Col.  and   party   were  unprepared   for  the 
March  for  a  considerable   time  after  when   Shame  and  Emu- 
lation forced   them  to  follow.     An  action  commenced  in   less 
than  an  hour's  time  in   whch  Mr.  Brant   signalized   himself 
highly  by  advancing  on  the  Rebels  Rear  and  harassing  their 
Retreat  and  making  great  Slaughter  chiefly  with  Spears  and 
Lances.  At  the  first  onset  the  Senecas  lost  17  men  among  whom 
were  several  Chiefs  and  Leaders  wch  enraged  them  greatly  and 
altho'  the  Rebels  were  put  to  Flight  and  left  upwards  of  500 
killed  on  the  Spot  yet  that  was  not  sufficient  satisfaction  and 
their  principal  Chief   Sakoyenguaraghton   a  Decendant  of  a 
Brave  and   Loyal   Family   who   were  distinguished   for  their 
Loyalty  and  Attachment  to  the  British  Interest  so  early  as  the 
Reign  of  Queen  Anne  and  were  presented  by  ye  Queen  with 
a  Coronet  the  only  mark  of  distinction  of  that  kind  ever  given 
to  any  of  the  6  Nation  Indus.     This  brave  Seneca  Chief  and 
Mr.  Brant  proposed  to  Sr  John  and  Col.  Clans  to  pursue  the 
Blow  and  Sr.  John  mentioned  it  to  Brigr  St  Leger,  asking  for 
a  small  Body  of  white  men  to  join  the  Indns  but  the  Brigr 
gave  his  reasons  why  he  could  not  approve  of  it  and  there 
the  affair  dropt.     Not  long  after  upon  false  alarms  the  siege 
was  raised  and  the  Army  retreated  to  Oswego  in  order  to  join 
Gen.  Burgoyne  by  the  way  of  Canada.     Mr  Brant  proposed 


I 


The  Tragi  dy  of  Wyoming;.  19 

lo  Col.  Claus  to  pass  llic  Mohawk  Villages  secure  their 
Women  and  Childii'ii  and  eollecl  what  Indus  he  could  in  his 
way  to  join  Gen.  Mnii,n)yne  by  way  of  Sara<^hto<;a  wch  Col. 
Ciaus  agreed  to.  In  which  attempt  however  he  ran  a  great 
Kiscjuc  for  one  of  his  CompagnionsCapt  John  of  the  Mohawks 
beinj^  a  little  m  the  rear  of  Mr  Brant  and  passinjjf  Fort  Stan- 
wix  was  surroundetl  by  a  Rebel  party  and  beinji^  determined 
not  to  surrender  had  a  whole  charge  t)f  iJall  and  FJuck  shot 
tired  into  his  left  Breast  and  Arm  and  notwithstanding  made 
a  miraculous  escape  but  is  still  in  danger  of  losing  his  arm. 
Mr.  Crant  at  yc  same  time  effected  his  scheme  of  putting  the 
MohawK  families  on  their  guard  and  he  proceeding  with  what 
men  ht;  could  collect  and  Gen.  Burgoyne's  Army  but  within 
a  short  distance  from  the  Camp  had  an  Encounter  wth  ye 
Rebel  party  which  he  soon  put  to  flight  and  arrived  safe  wth 
Gen.  Burgoyne  who  received  and  treated  him  according  to 
his  Merit  the  general  distinguished  him  from  the  rest  of  the 
Indians  but  Mr  Brant  finding  that  he  could  be  of  little  Service 
there  and  affairs  with  that  Army  being  mismanaged  he  in 
order  to  guard  against  a  Defection  among  the  (>  Nations  in 
case  Matters  should  turn  out  unfavorable  as  he  apprehended 
he  returned  among  the  (J  Nations  procured  encouraging  Mes- 
sages from  the  Canada  Inds  that  remained  with  Gen  Burgoyne 
and  accordingly  attended  a  general  meeting  of  the  whole  ct)n- 
federacy  at  Onandago  where  he  spared  no  pains  to  prepare 
and  harangue  them  against  the  Shock  of  Gen.  Burgoyne's  Dis- 
aster of  which  they  soon  after  had  a  most  exaggerated  acct 
from  the  Rebels  the  only  channel  they  could  get  it  then  who 
at  the  same  time  with  threats  invited  them  to  join  their  Cause 
with  a  large  Belt  of  VVampun  and  a  War  Ax  worked  in  it, 
however  Mr.  Brant  counteracting  and  using  all  the  most 
urgent  Arguments  such  as  their  loss  of  brave  Chiefs  and  war- 
riors at  Fort  Stanwix  and  what  Subjection  and  slavery  they 
must  be  exposed  to  if  the  Rebels  got  the  better  as  their 
Behavior  towards  them  for  many  years  past  clearly  pointed 
out.  In  wch  he  was  joined  by  his  faithful  Coajutor  Sakayen- 
guarghton  the  Seneca  Chief  above  mentioned  and  in  Reality 
carried  his  point  at  last  so  far  as  to  make  the  whole  Confed- 
eracy firmly  resolve  to  act  most  vigorously  against  the  Rebels  ; 
and  Sayengwaraghto  \_sic\  set  the  example  by  sending  some  of 


MHMl  9 


■Hi 


if 


»o  Captain  Ihaul  aiii/  t/if  O/tf  /\iiii>. 

his  men  that  very  Autumn  to  harass  tlic  Frontiers  of  IV-nn- 
sylvania  and  N'irj^nnia  and  <;et  Inteilijjfence  of  (ien.  Howe's 
Success  al)t  IMiiladelphia  wch  lie  procuri'd  vvtli  a  j^reat  deal  of 
art  wtli  all  its  favorable  Circinnstances  to  the  >;reat  Satisfac- 
tion and  Kncourajfenjcnt  of  the  0  Nations.  The  plan  of  Oper- 
ations for  the  ensuing  canipai<;ii  was  then  laid  and  Mr  Brant 
determined  to  harass  the  Frontiers  of  the  Mohawk  River  abt 
Cherry  N'alley  [illej^iblej  while  Sakayenjj;uaraffht()n  took  the 
Opportunity  of  this  diversion  to  cut  olT  the  Settlement  of 
VVayominj^  on  the  Suscpiehaima  River.  All  these  transactions 
were  ajjreed  and  resolved  upon  while  Mr.  Butler  was  at  Mont- 
real transacting  Money  and  Mercantile  Matters  and  no  Indn 
Officer  of  Gov't  i)resent  except  Mr.  Brant.  The  Rebel  Com^ 
missioners  of  Indn  Affrs  at  Albany  have  publicly  declared 
that  if  it  had  not  been  for  Mr  Brants  Zeal  and  Cleverness  they 
should  surely  have  gained  over  the  (»  Nations  and  their  Allies 
to  their  Interest.  After  all  plans  being  then  fixed  upon  Mr 
Brant  then  passed  thro'  the  Cayouga  and  Seneca  Towns  on 
his  way  to  Niagara  confirming  the  Indians  in  their  Sentiments 
against  the  Rebels  and  soon  after  they  followed  him  and 
declared  their  intentions  to  the  Commanding  Officer  at 
Niagara  at  the  same  time  delivering  up  the  Rebel  War  Belt 
wch  is  a  mark  with  Indians  of  their  rejecting  what  was 
required  of  them  by  the  Belt  wth  Contempt  and  Disdain. 
They  also  accpiainted  the  Commanding  Officers  as  the  Kings 
Representative  that  they  intended  putting  their  Resolutions 
into  Execution  as  early  as  possible  in  the  S|)ring  and  hinted 
to  effect  it  without  an  officer  of  Whites  to  join  them.  Accord- 
ingly as  early  as  the  season  would  admit  of  Mr  Brant  set  the 
Example  and  marched  off  with  his  party  to  Aughgwago 
where  he  had  others  to  join  him.  Sakayenguaraghton  assem- 
bled his  men  at  his  Town  Canadasege  without  calling  upon 
any  white  person  to  join  them.  However  the  Reflections  of 
the  Officers  at  Niagara  roused  Col.  Butler  to  march  to  Sakay- 
enwaraghton's  Town  who  at  the  same  Time  reserved  the 
Command  of  his  men  to  himself.  Mr  Brant  opened  the  Cam- 
paign by  attacking  a  party  of  Continental  Troops  joined  by 
near  300  Militia  who  immediately  were  put  to  flight  and  the 
Continental  Troops  cut  to  pieces  all  but  an  Officer  and  four 
privates  taken  prisnrs  and  the  Country  laid  waste  distinguishing 


144 


J 


I 


4 


1 


7'/ii    7'tiiL;t(/t'  of  WyomiiiiT,  t\ 

at  tlir  Sctlli-mciil  (tl  Loyalists  and  not  molcstiiijr  a  W'oinai) 
or  Cliilcl  of  till"  ki'bfls.  I'liis  (tccasioiu-d  siitli  an  alarm  that 
all  the  Inhahitaiits  lartlu'i  down  the  Kivcr  lice'  towards 
Schenectady  and  tlie  Kenels  were  oblij^ed  to  send  several 
Battalions  to  oppose  Mr  IJraiits  ( )perations  and  the  JIarvest 
abt  Schenectady,  Cherry  Valley  and  adjacent  places  bein^ 
thereby  nejj^lected,  prove  very  detrimental  to  the  Su|)|)lies  of 
the  Rebel  Army,  that  beinjj^  the  best  drain  Conntry  they 
depend  upon  and  in  short  Mr  IJrant  was  the  Dread  and  Terror 
of  the  whole  Country. 

Sakayenjjiiaraffhton  at  the  same  time  put  his  plan  in  Kxe- 
cution  makiiif^  every  preparation  Disposition  and  Maneouvre 
with  his  Indus  himself  and  when  the  Rebels  of  VVayoming 
came  to  attack  him  desired  Col.  liutler  to  keep  his  people 
separate  from  his  for  fear  of  Confusion  and  stood  the  whole 
Brunt  of  the  Action  himself,  for  there  were  but  2  white  men 
killed.  I  illegible  I  And  then  destroyed  the  whole  Settlement 
without  hurting  or  molesting  Woman  or  Child  wch  these  two 
Chiefs  to  their  hoixjur  be  it  said  agreed  upon  before  they 
[went  into]  Action  in  the  Spring. 

Thus  has  >rr.  Brant  and  this  faithful  Indn  Chief  distin- 
guished themselves  most  signally  in  the  Defence  of  their  own 
cause  and  Liberty  as  well  as  keeping  sacred  their  Alliance 
entered  into  with  the  Crown  of  Great  Britain  for  near  a  Cent- 
ury past :  when  their  zealous  Services  at  the  same  time  have 
been  [illegible]  from  the  Public  and  the  Merit  given  to  others 
who  had  not  the  least  pretension  to  it  whch  by  the  bye  may 
prove  detrimental  to  His  Majys  Indian  Interest  and  discourage 
and  Disgust  these  faithful  brave  men  as  well  as  ye  whole  6 
Nation  Confederacy,  and  those  who  deceived  Government 
and  the  Public  in  such  a  manner  can  have  no  other  view  but 
to  give  Sanction  to  the  Stigma  intended  to  be  laid  to  Govern- 
ment by  its  Enemies  of  employing  Indian  Officers  to  engage 
and  urge  Indns  to  commit  Cruelties  and  Murders  in  the  Col- 
onies, when  at  the  same  time  the  Indns  act  in  Defence  of  their 
own  Cause  and  Liberty. 

[to  be  continued.] 

p.  S. — Soon  after  the  Receipt  of  the  above  Anecdotes  an 
Acct.  was  received  from  Niagara  of  Mr  Brant  having  marched 


m 


~;'L^ji«,'i?a^(PKS8BB(fHf^  V'"^'   ■"ii3^F^t?Kfla«*ffl**Sff6MKW»>t':*lf*^^'^■!i«i'.''Vi^ 


)/■ 


K 


A 


22 


Captain  Brant  atid  the  Old  Kini>;. 

a  body  ol  pwards  of  400  Whites  and  Indus  to  surprise  and 
attack  two  Jf  orts  at  Burnetsfield  alias  German  Flatts  about 
the  middle  of  Sept.  last  but  unluckily  a  Rebel  Scout  discov- 
ered them  wch  alarmed  the  Forts  and  kept  the  Rebels  and 
Inhabitants  snug  and  confined  within  their  forts  and  could 
not  be  tempted  to  come  out  therefore  he  fell  to  Destroying 
their  buildings  Barns  Stacks  of  Grain  tSLC  and  driving  off  a 
great  number  of  horses  and  horn  cattle  some  intended  for  the 
Rebels  at  Fort  Stanwix  which  cant  but  cause  great  Alarm  and 
[illegible]  to  the  Rebel  Army  it  being  the  only  Grain  Country 
they  have  to  depend  upon.  This  Ravage  he  carried  on  upon 
the  Rebel  Inhabitants  only  on  both  sides  of  the  Mohawk  Rivr 
for  near  a  20  Miles  Extent. 

[Endorsed] 

Niagara,  Sept.  1778.    Anecdotes  of  Capt.  Jos.  Brant. 

By  Col.  Dan'l  Claus,  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs. " 


The  student  of  this  period  will  not  fail  to  remark  that  the 
sensational  narratives  of  the  Heeing  and  panic-stricken  bord- 
erers, given  on  the  eve  of  the  event,  have  been  accepted  as 
the  undiluted  truth  by  the  majority  of  writers.  It  would  be 
strange,  indeed,  if  these  recitals  were  not  to  a  considerable 
degree  imaginary  or  grossly  exaggerated. 

Col.  Claus'  apparent  motive  was  to  expose  the  attempt 
of  Col.  Butler, — whom  he  cordially  disliked,— ^to  appropriate 
to  himself  the  credit  of  achievements  justly  belonging  to  two 
native  chieftains.  Brant  and  Sayenqueraghta ;  and,  secondly, 
to  show  that  the  responsibity  for  any  atrocities  perpetrated  at 
Wyoming,  or  on  other  fields,  attached  to  the  Indians  alone, 
contending,  as  they  were,  for  their  own  "cause  and  liberties" 
menaced  by  the  colonists;  a  disingenuous  proposition  which, 
if  seriously  uttered  at  this  day,  would  be  received  with  a 
smile  of  derision. 


Note. — Col.    lienjamin    Doirancc,    before 
glimpse  of  Sayenqueraghta   in    action.       "  lie 
Uritish  regular   troops   marched  into  the  lort   by 
Sayenqueraghta  and  his  Indians  entered  at   the 
well  the  look  and  conduct  of  the  Indian  leader, 
ing  eyes  flashing  like  a  basilisk's,  as  he   glanced 
with  true  Indian  jealousy  and  circunisix'ction,  lest 
await  them  within  the  fort."     Stone's  Wyoming, 


mentioned,  vouchsafes  us  a  passing 
states  that  after  the  capitulation,  the 
the  northern  or  upper  gateway,  while 
northern  portal.  Col.  D.  recollects 
His  nostrils  distended,  and  his  burn- 
quickly  to  the  right  and  to  the  left, 
some  treachery  or  ambuscade  might 
p.  214. 


•^7?S?'»9'>Tf*'«^>'r?^4■l■*■-'S«*.-y■^■5T^T«!S^^ 


The   Tragedy  of  Wyoming. 


23 


rise  and 
;s  about 
discov- 
)els  and 
id  could 
stroying 
ng  off  a 
1  for  tlie 
arm  and 
Country 
on  upon 
ivk  Rivr 


lANT. 

Affairs. " 

tfiat  the 
en  bord- 
ipted  as 
'ould  be 
iderable 

attempt 
ropriate 
J  to  two 
jcondly, 
:rated  at 
s  alone, 
berties" 
1  which, 
with  a 


a  passing 
ilation,  the 
iway,  while 
.  recollects 
I  his  burn- 
to  the  left, 
:ade  might 


#  « 


Col.  Stone,  in  his  Life  of  Brant,  was  the  first  prominent 
writer,  it  is  believed,  if  indeed,  he  were  not  the  last,  to  ques- 
tion the  reliability  of  the  narratives  alluded  to.  He  says  (Vol. 
I — p.  .S3G),  "It  does  not  appear  that  anything  like  a  massacre 
followed  the  capitulation.  Nor,  in  the  events  of  the  preced- 
ing day,  is  there  good  evidence  of  the  perpetration  of  any 
specific  acts  of  cruelty  other  than  such  as  are  usual  in  the 
general  rout  of  a  battle-field — save  only  the  unexampled 
atrocities  of  the  tories  thirsting  for  revenge  probably  in  re- 
gard to  other  .]uestions  than  that  of  allegiance  to  the  King." 
Steuben  Jenkins,  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  patriot  Heroes,  in 
his  centennial  address  at  the  Wyoming  monument,  July  3d, 
1878,  after  depicting  in  the  most  lurid  light  the  atrocities  com- 
mitted on  that  spot  a  hundred  years  before,  and  fiercely 
denouncing  the  perpetrators,  said  "Truth  and  justice  require 
that  another  fact,  which  has  been  omitted,  should  be  told  at 
this  time.  SO  FAR  AS  KNOWN  TO  THE  PEOPLE 
HiRE  NOT  A  WOMAN  OR  CHILD  WAS  SLAIN  BY 
THE  ENEMY  IN  THE  VALLEY.."  *  *  * 
"There  was  no  shutting  up  of  whole  families  in  their  houses 
and  then  fire  set  to  them  and  the  whole  consumed  together. 
No  slaughter  of  whole  families,  men,  women  and  children,  in 
that  or  any  other  way."* 

Butler,  it  is  known,  indignantly  denied  that  any  were  slain 
save  actual  combatants  with  arms  in  their  hands  and  in  the  act 
oi  using  them  against  his  force j»  Lord  Germain  extolled  the 
humanity  displayed  by  the  invaders. 

When  we  take  into  consideration  the  circumstance,  men- 
tioned by  Bancroft,  that  the  Senecas  had  been  wrought  up  to 
a  pitch  of  frenzied  exasperation  by  the  slaughter  of  so  many 
of  their  braves  and  leaders  at  the  oattle  of  Oriskany,  and 
when  we  consider  the  inveterate  customs  and  military  policy 
of  the  Iroquois,  their  moderation  at  Wyoming  was  some- 
thing remarkable. 

All  the  wars  waged  between  the  native  tribes,  on  this  con- 
tinent, involved  the  extirpation  of  one  or  the  other  of  the  com- 
batants.   Their  warlike  tactics  was  one  of  surprises,  which  the 


Mi. 


i 


*  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  1878. 


r.v. 


(' 


■^ 


'*  Cifi/mn  /Irani  and  tile  OU  AV»(.. 

red'  ZtK^""  """"'  ""•''f""'''  ■••"<'  -cmraged,  and  the 

more  ingenious  whites  sweep  off   their   enemies       ny/'^'V*'^^ 

in>r  taHr!,v!v"ir''  'T  f  1'"'  ""-^  '"'"='  ^l'°»"=d  ""  -lent. 

detail,  or  ^y      L  ca,„pai„:„.  ';:,,:t'"„t„  trd"' ^  h 
A  few  particidars  concerning  the   later  life  of  the  Old 
compelled  to  aband.:  Ms t^iCersea't'l  r^^TCZ 

the  nation,  however,  erected  their  bark  cabins  in  the  v.  ev  o 

their  immemorial  council  fire    Onlv  for  ,  Htt  1  ♦ 
permitted  to  linger  there  •  •'TheStfh.tt  ""''^'^"y 

on  their  track       The  OM  V      ^  \««t-that-knows-no-resf  was 
of  th.  \  '"^  ^'"^^  ^  '-''«'  ^bode  was  on  the  banks 

of  the  stream  named  in  his  honor,  Smoke's  Creek.     There"or 

their  side,  might  have  been  discerned    the   hirer   nnH        ^ 

s  onary  K  rkland.      Here  within  a  few  miles  from   where  we 
-.  to-n,gh,,  and  at  abont  the  close  of  the   last   cen"ury°the 


'  v 


icon  raged,  and  the 
fortifications  and 
ry  with  which  the 
cmies.  The  art  of 
ing  and  nuirde ring- 
numbers,  and  at  a 
trriors    had    never 

i  showed  no  relent- 
lat  the  angel  pity 

one.     The  vulgar 

the  unvarnished 

n,  created    in    the 

her,  arc  not  suflfi- 

r  life  of  the  Old 
al  Sullivan's  army 
vith  his  tribe  was 
tie  shores  of  Lake 
ng  guns  of  Fort 
of  the  war,  he  re- 
;gion  drained  by 
lother  portion  of 
s  in  the  valley  of 
leir  own  musical 
1  there  rekin  lied 
le  time  were  ihey 
)ws-no-rest"  was 
vas  on  the  banks 
•eek.     There  for 
)spitality    which 
^s  lighted  up  by 
osition  with  the 
lo  crouched  by 
lirer  and  more 
[■en,  his  adopted 
ance  of  the  mis- 
froni   where  we 
St   century,  the 


T/w  Tragedy  of  Wyoming.  25 

King  of  the  Senecas  died  and  was  buried.  His  grave  is 
unmarked  and  the  exact  spot  where  his  bones  lie  is  unknown 
even  to  his  tribe  and  family.  His  successor,  the  bearer  of  the 
sacred  brand,  was  the  Young  King,  well  and  favorably  known 
to  our  older  citizens.  This  chieftain  was  a  gallant  warrior;  he 
fought  on  the  side  of  the  United  States  in  the  second  war  for 
independence;  was  seriously  wounded  in  one  of  the  engage- 
ments on  this  frontier,  and  received  a  pension  from  our  gov- 
ernment. Later  in  life  he  was  converted  to  the  Christian 
faith,  which  he  adorned  and  illustrated  to  the  dav  «)f  his 
death,  some  forty-five  years  ago. 

The  Young  King,  so  far  as  is  known,  was  the  last  Seneca 
invested  with  the  dignity  and  title  of  Sayenquerahta.  The 
vision  of  the  eagle-plumed  warrior  flying  along  the  forest 
trail,  and  bearing  aloft  the  burning  brand  with  its  banner  of 
smoke,  will  be  seen  no  more.  The  modern  Senecas  have  cast 
off  their  ancient  form  of  government  and  fashioned  another 
alter  the  pattern  of  the  race  they  have  so  much  reason  to  fear 
and  hate.  The  Long  House,— as  the  confederated  tribes 
figuratively  styled  their  governmental  structure,— under- 
mined and  shattered  by  Sullivan's  army,— has  since  fallen  and 
crumbled  to  dust.  The  tamed  descendants  of  the  fierce  and 
haughty  .Senecas  dwell  mournfully  on  the  days  when  their 
"King"  held  his  court  at  Kanadesaga  Castle  and  was  the 
leader  and  pride  of  the  triumphant  Iroquois. 

The  name  Sayenqueraghta,— literally  rendered.  Tlw- 
Smokc-has-Jisappeared,—\vas  prophetic  of  the  final  quenching 
of  that  council  fire,  which  in  the  barbaric  age,  and  in  the  early 
dawn  of  civilization  on  our  shores,  was  the  dread  of  a  continent. 


y 


'■n 


